JDH thanks Susan Hodgson for a letter about her husband Brian Houghton Hodgson. JDH recently dined with Sir Henry Verney, Childers & his daughter, & Mrs & Mr [William Ewart] Gladstone. He & Gladstone spoke about American & Californian trees & felling practices. JDH has also dined at the Colviles', where he bid farewell to Mrs Strachey before she leaves to join her husband [Richard Strachey] in India. Also in attendance: the Grant's, Joachin & the Huxley's. JDH & his wife [Lady Hyacinth Hooker] have been to see the Old Masters [exhibition], they left the baby [Joseph Symonds Hooker] at the Royal Society rooms with the porter's wife, much fuss was made of 'the President's baby'.
Transcript
Royal Gardens Kew
March 10/[18]78
My dear Mrs [Susan] Hodgson *1
Thank you much for your kind & full note about dear Brian*2. What you say of his constitution is quite true--in spite of much trial & illness it is splendid -- & he owes this much to his habitual temperance -- pray give my love to him & tell him that I don’t think much of my own politics! -- We dined at Sir Henry Verney[']s two days ago to meet Mr & Mrs Gladstone & I had, as usual, a long talk
Royal Gardens Kew
March 10/[18]78
My dear Mrs [Susan] Hodgson *1
Thank you much for your kind & full note about dear Brian*2. What you say of his constitution is quite true--in spite of much trial & illness it is splendid -- & he owes this much to his habitual temperance -- pray give my love to him & tell him that I don’t think much of my own politics! -- We dined at Sir Henry Verney[']s two days ago to meet Mr & Mrs Gladstone & I had, as usual, a long talk
with him.-- he was enthusiastic about America & the Californian trees -- & the methods of felling there & so forth. His memory is wonderful, he remembered passages in books on Western Americas that he had read 40 years ago! -- Childers & his Daug[hter] were there. They had followed my route home from San Francisco America a week after me. he is a equable man & his daughter, a young girl who had accompanied her father, was light & agreeable.
Last night we dined at the
Colviles to bid goodbye to Mrs Strachey who goes to India this week to join her husband who will be out for a year certain[?] -- Lady Colvile takes 3 children. Mrs S[trachey]. takes 2 out with her & others will be at school. Colvile looks very old, his hair is white as silver & he has grown very silent -- I think. The Grants were there, & Joachin & the Huxley[']s.-- Of course we talked much of you.
Hyacinth & I went to the Old Masters the other day the first dissipation! Either of us have had since my return. She took the baby [Joseph Symonds Hooker] & left it at the Royal Society rooms with
the porters' wife, who has a baby of her own, & "the Presidents Baby" created quite a sensation in the house! What a "rum world" it is -- the more I think of my own life & career, the more unintelligible it appears to me. I feel as if I had been divested of my individuality every ten years or so of my life, & then been given quite another body & mind.
Hyacinth is very busy, she sends her best love to you both in which I join most heartily. & with kind regards & thanks to Miss Townsend for so kindly writing
Ever aff[ectionatel]y y[ou]rs | JDHooker [signature]
1. Susan (Susie) Hodgson née Townshend (1844--1912). Photographer and second wife of naturalist Brian Houghton Hodgson (1801--1894), they married in 1869 or 1870.
2. Brian Houghton Hodgson (1801—1894). A pioneer naturalist and ethnologist working in India and Nepal where he was a British civil servant. Joseph Hooker stayed at Hodgson’s house in Darjeeling periodically during his expedition to India and the Himalayas, 1847--1851, and named one of his sons after him.
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